WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Matt Ward wanted to be like his father — an entrepreneur.

"I could use my Purdue biomedical engineering degree and education for a force for good," he said.

Ward co-founded the first start-up business —Drug Free Terepeutix (DFTx) — once the Purdue Foundry opened in 2013. DFTx created a medical device software that learns the best way to deliver therapy over time.

"When we made the decision to work with people that had a big idea, it is different than working with people who have already decided to launch and need help executing," Deason said. "Now it's everyone at Purdue, whether you're a faculty member, a student, a staff member, a researcher. Everybody here has a big idea."